An Indian Hindu widow touches her lips after a make-up artist applied lipstick on it before a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white, typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. But slowly, widows are moving toward modernity. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

A makeup artist gets an Indian Hindu widow ready for a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. Until recently, Indian widows were expected to follow the sociocultural codes of a patriarchal Hindu society that demands a woman lead a life of asceticism after a husband’s death. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

A makeup artist applies lipstick on an Indian Hindu widow before a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An Indian Hindu widow laughs as she wears a Sari backstage before participating in a fashion show fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. Until recently, Indian widows were expected to follow the sociocultural codes of a patriarchal Hindu society that demands a woman lead a life of asceticism after a husband’s death. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An Indian Hindu widow gets dressed backstage before participating in a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An elderly Indian Hindu widow waits for her turn to walk the ramp during a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. The widows are now breaking age-old traditions of staying aloof by actively participating in Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali. They went a step further on Saturday, participating in a fashion show. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An Indian Hindu widow practices to walk on the runway before a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. Until recently, Indian widows were expected to follow the sociocultural codes of a patriarchal Hindu society that demands a woman lead a life of asceticism after a husband’s death. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An Indian Hindu widow helps another just before stepping onto the ramp during a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

An Indian Hindu widow walks in rhythm during a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. Their lives appear to be changing for better with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

Indian Hindu widows applaud as they stand on stage during a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. They are now breaking age-old traditions of staying aloof by actively participating in Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali. On Saturday, they went a step further recently, participating in a fashion show. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

Indian Hindu widows walk with a model, center, during a fashion show in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016. In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. The widows are now breaking age-old traditions of staying aloof by actively participating in Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali. They went a step further on Saturday, participating in a fashion show. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

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Fashion show highlights progress for India widows

Posted:
Wed, October 19, 2016 | 07:51 pm

In most of India, millions of Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious.

Until recently, Indian widows were expected to follow the sociocultural codes of a patriarchal Hindu society that demands a woman lead a life of asceticism after a husband's death.But slowly, widows are moving toward modernity.

The holy city of Vrindavan, in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is known as the City of Widows because it has given shelter to thousands of poor women. Their lives appear to be changing for the better, with women's groups and Indian aid organizations taking interest in their welfare.

The widows are breaking age-old traditions of staying aloof by actively participating in Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali. They went a step further recently, participating in a fashion show.